Apparatus for balling slivers of fibrous substances



B. SUNDERLAND APPARATUS FDR BALLING sLIvER's OF FIBROUS SUBSTANCES Sam. 14 $5326,

2 sheets-shes; 1

Filed August 31, 1925 Sept. 14, 192 1,599,597

8. SUNDERLAND APPARATUS FOR BALLING SLIVERS O FlBROUS SUBSTANCES Filed August 31, 1925 2heets-Sheet 2- "'4' f FlGA.

Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES BEN SUNDERLAND, 0F SALTAIRE, SI-IIIPLEY, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR BALLING SLIVERS OF FIBROUS SUBSTANCES.

Application filed August 31, 1925, Serial No. 53,575, and in Great Britain September 1, 1924.

This invention relates to certain improvements or modifications in balling apparatus used in the preparation of the balls of slivers supplied to a Noble combing machine, or the like, and the primary object of the present invention is to make the apparatus more automatic than heretofore.

It has previously been proposed in apparatus for balling slivers of fibrous substances to move the rotary spindle or shaft longitudinally by means of a rack and pinion, the said pinion being secured to a horizontal shaft to which is secured a vertically arranged hand wheel; also it has previously been proposed to give the desired tension to the slivers by means of a brake pulley attached to or forming part of a presser plate or casting contacting with the ball of slivers as it is being formed, the brake pulley being operated upon by a weighted brake chain or band made adjustable by a ratchet and wheel, or screw mechanism, and provided with a more or less upright lever (when in its inoperative position) for putting the brake into and out of action; and also it has hadpreviously been proposed to provide a locking device comprising a more or less up right lever (when in its operative position) adapted to engage the end of the rotary spindle or shaft to lock the same in position when a ball is being formed.

According to this invention the lever for starting the apparatus-by shifting the driving belt from the loose pulley to the fast pulley-is extended downwards so as to be capable of engaging the more or less upright lever which operates the brake pulley, this prevents any forgetfulness and thereby any possibility of balls being made of wrong tension.

The lever for operating the strap brake is returned to its inoperative position auto matically by means of a lug or projection on face of the hand wheel, for moving the rotary spindle or shaft longitudinally, adapt ed to contact with the said lever.

The lever for locking the rotary spindle or shaft in position when a ball is being formed is designed to be more accessible for the operator and is weighted to ensure that the lever stops in its respective back and front positions. An elbow casting and studs and a stop rod connecting same to the starting lever or its connections and the said locking lever are provided to send the lock catch back into position (when starting the apparatus) making that looking automatic in stead of a separate operation.

The hand wheel for moving the rotary splndle or shaft longitudinally is weighted so that in combination with a Wedge shaped end at the bottom of the locking lever the paid lever goes into position without handing.

The device for putting the tension on the strap or band of the brake pulley or drum is a double Worrn right and left hand-as a more efficient and sure means of fine adj ustment of the correct tension of the strap or band. An alternate arrangement of wheel, bar and weight on frontend of the strap or band may however be used. v

The rotary spindleor shaft is operated by suitable gearing from the driving shaft and the ball is formed on the rotary spindle between two discs, a presser plate contacting with the ball as it is being formed all as heretofore. A weighted lever fulcrumed on the shaft carrying the presser plate and brake pulley is provided in order to push out the ball when the spindle is withdrawn. The ball drops by gravity on toasuitable receiver or holder in the form of an inclined plate to ensure that the ball falls away from the path of the spindle, the said receiver or holder being provided with a turned 11 edge or lip in order to prevent the ball fal ing on to the floor. The ball spindle which may be of square section and with taper is provided with a split end to facilitate at taching the ends of the slivers.

The lever of the brake pulley or drumlimited in its movement by an adjustable stop-is attached to its shaft by a ratchet wheel or the like connection in order that erence is made to the accompanying sheet of drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference numerals 111- dicate corresponding parts in each of the views Figure l is a front elevation of a prelll) Referring to the drawings, 2 and 3 designate respectively the left-hand and righthand side frames and 4 an intermediate frame the said frames being spaced apart and fixed together by horizontal beams 5 to form the frame of the machine. 6 is the spindle or shaft divided into two parts or members, 6 the rotary spindle on which the ball is formed between the side plates 7, and 6 the longitudinally moving spindle, the said members being connected together so that the member 6 is capable of both rotary and longitudinal movement and the member 6 of longitudinal movement only. The spindle 6 is moved longitudinally by means of the hand wheel 8 and pinion 8" (Figure 1) on the short shaft 9 the said pinion engaging teeth 10 (Figure 1) on the underside of the spindle 6 12 is the drum'shaft on which are secured the brake drum 13 and the presser plate 14, and 15 is the lever for putting tension on the brake drum through its encircling band 16 and the right and left hand screw 17 operated by the lever 15. 18 is the receiver or holder on to which the ball falls after the spindle 6 has been with drawn. The spindle 6 is made of tapering formation with an open slotted end 19 in or der to facilitate attaching the ends of slivers to the spindle which ends pass through the guides 20 arranged and constructed as shown and located behind the guide roller 20. 21 and 22 are respectively the longitudinal bars for moving the driving belt and the locking device for holding or looking the spindle in its operative position, the said locking 'device comprising alever 23 adapted to engage and disengage with the end 24 of the spindle the circumferential edge of which is bevelled off to facilitate engagement of the lever 23 and also the bottom edges of the lever 23 may also be bevelled off. The full lines in Figure 4 show the locking lever 23 :down and the broken lines the locking lever tilted-over with the end 24 of the spindle free so that the spindle may be moved longitudinally out.

25 is the starting lever for starting the apparatus or machine by moving same from the position shown by the broken lines to that shown by the full :lines the fork 26 shifting the driving belt through the medium ofa stud 27 on the bar 21 and a slotted lever 27 on the starting lever shaft from the loose pulley 28 onto the fast pulley 28 which pulleys are on the longitudinal shaft 29 mounted in suitable bearings in the end frame 8, and intermediate frame 4. This starting lever is formed with a downward extension 30 provided with inwardly projecting pegs or pins 31 adapted to engage,

the brake lever 15 and knock same over from the position shown by the broken lines to the position shown by the full lines and is limited in its movement by the adjustable peg 32 secured to the are shaped piece of bracket 33. The brake lever 15 is provided with an adjustable weight 35 for putting tension on the brake strap or band said weight being in the form of a sector provided with teeth engaging with the teeth of a spur wheel 86 secured on the same shaft as that of the brake lever. On the drum shaft is provided a weighted lever 37 in order that when the ball is formed and the spindle withdrawn the said weighted lever forces the ball out of the path of the spindle, the ball falling down the inclined receiver or holder and being prevented-from falling out on to the floor by the curved up portion 38.

The brake lever 15 returned to its inoperative position, shown by the broken lines in Figure 1, by turning the hand wheel 8 clockwise one and a quarter turns the weight 8 on same facilitating this, the lug 40 on the face of the wheel engaging with the brake lever 15 and knocks it back and at the same timethe locking lever having been lifted or tiltedthe spindle 6 is withdrawn by the pinion 8 and rack 10. The tilted locking lever is automatically knocked back again into engagement with the end of the spindle by means of a pin 41 on one end of a bellcrank lever engaging with the hand lever 42 secured to the locking lever 25 by a rod 43 the said pin being worked from 'a connecting rod 44 secured at one end to the stud 27' and at the other end to the other end of the said bellcrank lever.

When the ball is formed to a predetermined diameter the locking bar 22 is released by a recess in its bottom edge disengaging with the bottom of its bearing brack- 'et the said bar being lifted by a vertical rod 46 operated at its bottom end by a pin 47 in the face of the drum the top end of the vertical rod engaging with and lifting the knockingoff bar, the bar being moved longitudinally by means of the spiral spring 48 in tension. A weight 49 on the back starting lever 25 facilitates the movement of the knocking-off bar.

50 is a hand lever for moving'the presser plate from the outside of the machine.

Claims 1. In a balling machine, brake mechanism provided with a brake drum and a brake strap, a brake lever for putting tension on the brake strap to apply .the brake, a starting lever for the machine, and means for op erating the brake lever automatically to apply the brake controlled by the said starting lever.

2. In a balling machine, brake mechanism provided with a brake drum and a brake strap, a winding spindle, means for moving the said spindle longitudinally provide with a hand wheel, and means for relieving the brake strap of tension to release the brake automatically controlled by the said hand wheel. Y

3. In a balling machine, a longitudinally slidable Winding spindle, a locking lever for preventing the spindle from sliding While the ball is being Wound, a starting lever for the machine, and means for placing the looking lever in the locked position automatically when the starting lever is operated tostart the machine.

4. In a balling machine, a longitudinally slidable Winding spindle, a locking lever for preventing the spindle from sliding While the ball is being wound, a starting lever for the machine, a pivoted bell-crank lever, means Which connect one arm of the bell crank lever With the starting lever, and means arranged between the other arm of the bell-crank lever and the locking lever and operating to place the latter in the locked position automatically when the starting lever is operated to start the machine.

5. In a balling machine, brake mechanism provided with a rock-shaft, devices connected to the rock-shaft and operating to apply the brake, a toothed Wheel secured on the rock-shaft, and an adjustable Weighted sector pivoted on the rock-shaft and provided With teeth for engaging adjustably With the teeth of the said Wheel and thereby operating the rock-shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BEN SUNDERLAND. 

